Greensferry overpass a long road to reality

POST FALLS — After 20 years of the Greensferry overpass being discussed, vehicles and pedestrians will cross the structure on Nov. 12.

Tom Lien, executive director of the Post Falls Urban Renewal Agency that is funding the $15 million overpass, said the structure will open about three months behind its original schedule due to right of way acquisition hurdles.

"But everything has still gone pretty well," Lien said. "Whenever you have a project of this size, there's going to be hurdles."

Construction on the overpass — which is being built to improve connectivity, traffic mobility and emergency response between the business districts and residential areas north and south of the interstate — began in December. It will have two lanes in each direction, bicycle lanes and sidewalks on both sides.

Flag bases on both sides of the overpass have been constructed so flags that will be lit at night will fly over both directions of traffic on Interstate 90.

The Nov. 12 dedication ceremony at 11 a.m., which is open to the public, will feature honor guards from American Legion Post 143 and Fairchild Air Force Base. URA representatives will present American flags to the city and Idaho Transportation Department officials, signaling the ownership transition of the overpass from the URA to the city and state.

Parking for the ceremony will be on the north ramp of the overpass. The public will be invited to walk across the overpass before it is opened to traffic. Refreshments will be served.

Lien said the URA is still working on acquiring right of way from the Coeur d'Alene RV Park on the north side of the freeway, but that matter is not delaying construction. On the south side of the freeway, the URA earlier purchased the Richards family home for $342,000 and the former River City Dentistry building on the west side of Greensferry for $1.65 million.

Meanwhile, the half-mile extension of Spencer Street in East Post Falls from Second Avenue to Seltice Way west of Dairy Queen, is expected to be completed in mid-November as well.

Lien said a delay on installing concrete planks for the railroad crossing has slowed the project by a week.

The total project cost, including right of way acquisition, is $1.8 million. The URA is funding $1.7 million of the cost, while the city is funding improving a small part of Spencer, which is outside the urban renewal boundary, with street impact fees.

The bike and pedestrian trail project along the east side of Highway 41 from Seltice Way to Mullan Avenue will go out to bid this winter and be constructed next spring.

The project will being funded by a $500,000 federal grant administered by the Idaho Transportation Department through the Community Choices for Idaho program. The remaining $300,000 will be funded by the URA.